Area roundup: Justin Vernia goes eight shutout to lead Gonzaga past San Diego

Justin Vernia tossed eight innings of six-hit, shutout ball and Gonzaga (17-13, 8-3) topped visiting No. 18 San Diego (20-9, 8-3) 3-0 on Saturday.

It’s the second win in as many days for the Zags over the nationally-ranked Torreros.

Vernia only struck out one, but also only walked one. Wyatt Mills pitched the ninth to complete the shutout.

Jake Vieth homered and Justin Jacobs went 3 for 4 with an RBI.

The Zags go for a three-game sweep on Sunday at noon.

Washington State 9, (8) Arizona 3: Ryan Walker gave up two runs on five hits without a walk over 5 2/3 innings to pace the host Cougars (15-13, 2-6) over the nationally-ranked Wildcats (22-8, 6-5) for the second game in a row in Pac-12 action.

James Rudkin went 3 for 5 and drove in three, Andres Alvarez knocked in a pair and Dillon Plew went 3 for 5 with an RBI and run. Shane Matheny walked twice and scored three runs.

Washington State scored two in the first, one in the second and picked up four in the third, chasing Arizona starter Randy Labaut after 2 1/3.

Washington 6, UCLA 3: Joey Morgan went 4 for 4 and Jack Meggs homered to pace the Huskies (18-11, 6-2) over the Bruins (13-15, 6-5) in Pac-12 play in Los Angeles.

Levi Jordan went 3 for 4 and M.J. Hubbs drove in a pair for Washington. Jordan Jones picked up the win with 4 2/3 innings of relief. He allowed one run on four hits and struck out two.

Linfield 14-3, Whitworth 4-2: Cameron Fox’s pinch-hit home run leading off the bottom of the 11th inning gave the Wildcats (18-9, 13-5) a Northwest Conference doubleheader sweep over the Pirates (18-11, 9-10) in McMinnville, Oregon.

In the first game, Ben Andrews hit a three-run homer and drove in four and the Wildcats pounded out 16 hits. Brady Rediger, Scott Hilpert and Ryan Pladson all had three hits for Linfield. Hilpert and Alex Hendra-Brown added home runs.

The Pirates’ Ryan Kingma was roughed up for six runs on seven hits and four walks over 5 1/3 innings. Ryan Bird had a pinch-hit three-run homer for Whitworth in the ninth inning.

CC Spokane 5-9, Big Bend 2-5: The Sasquatch (13-8) swept a Northwest Athletic Conference doubleheader over the Vikings (13-9) in Moses Lake.

Nick Flesher gave up two runs on six hits with eight strikeouts in a complete game in the opener. He threw 112 pitches, 75 for strikes. Mitchell Cox hit a two-run home run, his fourth homer of the season, and Dustin Yates went 3 for 5 with a double.

In the late game, Aaron Fritts homered, Jordan Ross and Rylee Peterson drove in three apeice for the Sasquatch.

Softball

Whitworth 4-4, Pacific Lutheran 0-3: The first-place Pirates (29-5, 20-2) swept a Northwest Conference doubleheader over the third-place Lutes (16-12, 12-10) in Tacoma, extending their winning streak to 13 games.

The Pirates took the early game behind Madi Perez (W, 17-1), who allowed two hits and two walks with two strikeouts. Shannon Wessel went 2 for 4 with a two RBIs and Tessa Matthews had a pair of doubles and drove in a run.

In the second game, the Pirates got out to a 4-1 lead and held of the Lutes’ rally.

Ashley Trueblood (W, 8-1) gave up three runs on six hits over 5 1/3 innings and Perez – the early game winner – shut the door with 1 2/3 perfect relief. Whitworth banged out nine hits, led by Wessel with two. The Pirates benefited from three unearned runs.

CC Spokane 8-7, Columbia Basin 1-10: The Sasquatch (12-8, 7-7) split a Northwest Athletic Conference doubleheader with the Hawks (6-17, 4-12) in Pasco.

In the opener, Leslie Jones hit a solo home run, Josie Schultz went 3 for 3 with three runs and an RBI and Courtney Adams drove in a pair. Hannah Anderson went the distance, allowing five hits and striking out seven.

CCS scored three in the seventh in the late game but it wasn’t enough to come back against the Hawks. Madilyn Naccarato went 2 for 4 with a home run and three RBIs, and Anderson drove in three.

Washington 4-1, Oregon State 3-2: The No. 10 Huskies (29-9) split a Pac-12 doubleheader with the Beavers (19-17) in Seattle.

In the opener, Madi Schreyer gave up three runs on seven hits over 6 2/3 innings to pick up the win and Taran Alvelo earned a save striking out the only batter she faced in the seventh after Oregon State drew to within one. Casey Stangel (Lake City) went 1 for 3 with a double and an RBI.

Taylor Cotton limited the Huskies to one run on five hits over six innings in the second game to lead the Beavers. Three for Oregon State had two hits apiece. Ali Aguilar’s solo home run in the fifth represented the Huskies’ lone run. Alvelo went the distance for Washington and gave up two runs on eight hits with six Ks.

Track and field

Whitworth’s Kayla Leland won the women’s 800 and 1,500-meter runs at 10th annual WAR Track & Field meet at Spokane Falls Community College.

Central Washington won the women’s title while Washington State took the men’s championship.

Whitworth had two other winners: Sarah Cool in women’s 400-meter dash and Andrew Bloom in men’s javelin.

Washington State had nine champions on the day: Jordyn Tucker (women’s 100-meter dash). Katelyn Frost (women’s pole vault), Lauren Newman (women’s long jump), Kaitlin Krouse (women’s discuss), Katie Wardsworth (women’s hammer), Ja’Maun Charles (men’s 400-meter dash), Nick Johnson (men’s 110-meter hurdles), Jake Callaghan (men’s shot put) and Brock Eager (men’s hammer).

Gonzaga had three winners: Kinsly Smith (men’s 800-meter run), Troy Fraley (men’s 1,500-meter run) and Kyle Thompson (men’s 5,000-meter run).

Parker Bowden was CC Spokane’s lone winner, taking the men’s triple jump.

Eastern Washington completed the 45th Annual Pelluer Invitational, collecting four new marks on its all-time list through the rain-soaked meet at Roos Field.

The EWU women’s team won both of their dual matchups, beating Montana 95-74 and Idaho 106-64. The men fell just short in their two duals, falling to Montana 75-71 and Idaho 79-76

Dawson Lack finished first in the 100-meter dash at 11.44, while Colton Johnsen clocked in at 3:58.29 to win the 1,500.

Carli Corpus finished first in the women’s 3000 meters at 10:20.87, sixth-best time in school history. Kaili Keefe also made the EWU record books, finishing the 1,500 with a time of 4:33.24, eighth all-time. Kendra Hamm took first overall in the 200-meter dash at 26.13. Hamm also placed second in the long jump.